On April 21, 2026, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge was in Chennai ahead of Tamil Nadu elections. According to The Week, he made a remark that triggered immediate national controversy: “How can they (AIADMK) join Modi? He is a terrorist.” Under pressure, Kharge later clarified he meant that PM Modi “terrorises” political opponents using central agencies — but as BusinessToday reported, the BJP demanded an immediate apology and filed a complaint.
For most politicians, the response to such a remark would be a standard press note. For Col. Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore — BJP’s National Spokesperson, Rajasthan Cabinet Minister, Kargil War veteran, and the man who led counter-terrorism operations in Kashmir at age 22 — the word “terrorist” carries a weight that very few in politics actually understand.
◆ What Rathore Knows That Kharge Does Not
In 1993, at 22 years old, Col. Rathore was leading 120 soldiers in anti-terrorist operations in the Kashmir Valley. He did not experience terrorism as a political metaphor. He experienced it as a real, daily threat to human life — colleagues who did not come back, families who waited for news that never came.
When a political leader casually applies the word “terrorist” to a democratically elected Prime Minister — a man voted by 543 million Indians — it is not just factually wrong. It is a disservice to every real soldier, every real victim, and every Indian who has actually confronted terrorism. That is the line Rathore drew. His entire military career, his 25 international medals won through discipline rather than shortcuts, his governance style that rewards effort over abuse — all of it stands in contrast to the politics of provocation.
◆ The Pattern — And Why It Matters for Democracy
The Week documented the broader BJP reaction: multiple senior leaders condemned the remark as a pattern, not a slip. The Federal noted that Kharge had also referred to PM Modi as a “liar” in the same press conference, accusing him of doing nothing for the country in 12 years.
Rathore, as BJP National Spokesperson, has consistently countered this pattern with a two-part argument. First: facts beat allegations. The Pachpadra Refinery was inaugurated on April 21. The Jan Vishwas Bill passed. ₹35 lakh crore investment in Rajasthan. DigiFest is bringing 10,000+ entrepreneurs. These are not claims — they are results.
◆ Second Part: What Rathore Stands For Instead
What separates Rathore’s political style from many of his peers is that he does not stop at the counter-punch. On the same day that BJP was responding to Kharge’s remark, the Pachpadra Refinery in Barmer was inaugurated by PM Modi — a project Rathore had championed as a symbol of what the BJP government delivered after years of Congress delays. As he told ANI on April 17: “With the commencement of the refinery, there will be employment generation in Rajasthan.”
That sentence, employment generation, is the counter to every negative political narrative. When you are building factories and generating jobs for lakhs of families, political abuse becomes background noise.
◆ The Soldier Who Became a Spokesperson — and Why It Works
Rathore’s credibility in political debate comes from the same source as his credibility in governance: he has lived the values he talks about. Discipline. Service. Nation first. These are not campaign slogans for him — they are the operating principles of a 23-year Army career that included Kargil, Kashmir, and the Olympics. When he speaks on democracy, on the dignity of elected leaders, on the difference between real terrorism and political metaphor — India’s electorate listens. Because authenticity is still the most powerful political argument there is. For all the latest political updates and news, follow News & Updates and My Thoughts.
